Index device



2 1927. A J. H. RAND INDEX DEVICE Filed Dec. 26. 1923 fnvenfar flIRanc iforwqgas' Patented Aug. 2, 1927."

r PATENT carrier.-

JAMES H. RAND, or NORTH TDNAWANDA, New Your, assmnon mo BUREAU, me, or TQNAWANDA, NEW YoRK, A vccomonA'rrorI ,QF unaware ere: DEVICE.

a licatio filed December 25,1923. Serial no. 552,647.

, This invention relates to a rotary index of the so-called vi ible index type wherein the index elements are siupported to turn about a common axis, anc consists in the novel an d inutn'oved teatu res of construction hereinafter described and I p J l W Y pointed out in the claims.

i In the@accolnpanying drawings which illustrate,afpreferred form of the invention.

Fig. lis a. fragmentary end elevation of,

desk such gt'orex ample as that used by telephone (operators, having an index COIlStFMQted in accordance withfthepresent invention mounted thereon; c 2 is a trontelevation of the index de- Vic I e Fig. ,3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the inden device to larger scale showing, details of the aneans employed for supporting the ,i l'iovable leaves of the index; llis a horizontal sectionon the line ,k-rt fl ig- I 1 o -5'01 Fig. 3;and I h ,Fig. 6 isa fragmentary rear view of the movable leaf shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the centralpart ot a desk having working tables 2.2 ,at its opposite sides at which operators may be conveniently aationedp I r A frame or stand 3 is mounted upon the central part of the desk, constituting supporting means for the movable portions of the index. This frame may be devised to Support one or more units of the index, two

such units beingillustrated in the present drawings. i

At the upper part of the frame a horizontal shaft 4 is mounted and. on this shaft 7 pairs of discs 5-4), 78, are arranged to I turn, the number of pairs 'of di'scs corresponding to the number of index units employed. ,Pre'lierably the shaft 4 is'fixedly secured in the frame I and the discs are mounted to rotate thereon. Each of the discs is provided with a. series of circum- :t'erentially spaced openings, the openings of each disc being disposed opposite toand in ali nment w th the openings of the associated disc of a pair.

Re'ferringmore particularly to Figs, 3, 4

and 5, the discs 5 and 6 are shown as connected by rods or pins 7.: Preferably the openings in one of the discs,-as for example,

" or, rods ,5 1S a vertical section on the-line the disc -ii, are internally threaded for enit,

gageinent with the threaded ends of the su porting rods or pinsZ, while the openings 7. These heads may be slotted if desired for the reception of a screw driver blade, "forming a convement means for removably assembl ng the p ns or rods with the a convenient mode of attaching the index holders to the pins. the holders he rovided with integral sleeve-like portions 11 at their upper ends which receive the pins 7 andwhich, together with such at i e c -[mut ng the r of the index holders between the ,correspm ding pair of discs. Other modes e11 hingedly snpportingthe holder between rods, con swing n the discs are contemplated as within the spirit of the present invent on.

The rods or pins 7 constitute pivotal sug- 1 ports tor the moyahle ,tndex holders 10. s

"in thedisc G are recessed for the receptihn ot theenlarged heads 9 of the rods or pins Each holder 10 is preferably formed from transparent sheet material such, for .ex-

ample, ascelluloid, having its opposite lateral ,edges folded to providetheoyerl a g jflangesl 12, 13, respectively. Preferab y the edges of these flanges are bent on themselves to prov de a s eath pfi clslh- .By reason .Of

the resiliency: of the material of which the holder formed the flanges "securely and f firmly engage the ends (if index slips 14 which are positioned within the channels formed by the flanges. While such flanged holders are preferred for the purpose, it is contemplated that transparent envelopes may be substituted thereforif desired.

[The index slips may bear suitable indicia as, for example, names, addresses, and telephone numbers of subscriberstoa telephone system. In accordance with the present invention it is contemplated that each of the index slips will be provided with identical indicia' upon opposite sides and as the material of the holder is transparent such indicia may readily be read from either side of the holder. The indiciamay have the same side up on both sides of the slip, or reversed if desired, in accordance with the purpose and mode of use oi. the index.

WVhile of utilityin many situations where it is desired to have a large amount of informative, data readily available to several persons, the present invention is of especial value for use in telephone exchange work,

where certain operatorsmust have readily available a. complete list-of all the subscribers to the exchange together with their street addresses and telephone numbers. An index of the type hereinabove described may readily be made to contain upwards of 800,000

names and addresses without occupying in excess of the inch space allowed between and as the data carried by each holder is v I claim:

:readable from either side thereof the operator positioned at either side of the desk may obtain information from the index with the same facility, It the index were ntended to be read from one side only it is manifest that both sides of each holder might be made available by providing the slips with proper data on opposite sides, that on one side being upside down as compared with that on the other. i f

In the accompanying drawings no substantial attempt has been made at accuracy in proportion of parts as it is contemplated that the device maybe constructed of any suitable size with such variations in detail as may be found most desirable in accordance with thewparticular circumstances of its location and environment. I

'1. An index comprisinga support mount- ,edto revolve freely in opposite directions, a stiff resilient holder carried by the support,

the holder having integral flanges at its 0pposite edges, and a plurality of removable indexslips providedwith indicia upon their opposite sides and having theirends secured beneath the respective flanges, the holder being so constructed and arranged that the opposite sides of each slip are exposed to view.

2. An index comprising a5 frame, a shaft mounted thereon, apair of spaced discs car- 'ried by the shaft, a plurality of holders journalledbetween the discs, each holder comprising an integral piece of sheet celluloid having sleeve-like bearings at its upper end, and having its lateral margins turned inwardly toprovide, for removably'retaining one or more index holders.

3. An index comprising a frame, and a series of transparent holders mounted in the frame to revolve in either direction about a common axis, each holder being constructed of transparent sheet material and having spaced flanges extending substantially at right angles to the axis of revolution, said flanges being constructed and arranged to grip index slips whereby the in dicia on bothsides oi' the index slips may be exposed to view, said slips being removable at will from said holder.

l. An index comprising a frame, a pair of rotary, coaxially spaced discs mounted therein, said discs having circumferentially spaced openings therein, the openings or one disc aligning with those of the other to form cooperating pairs,supporting means engaging each pair of openings, and a transparent holder carried by the supporting means which engages each pair of openings, said holders being formed from sheet celluloid and having their marginal portions bent overto form flanges for removably retaining index slips. 7

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 18th day or December, 1923.

JAMns H. RAND. 

